Pee Wee Russell

Charles Ellsworth Russell, much better known by his nickname Pee Wee Russell (March 27, 1906– February 15, 1969), was a jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but he eventually focused solely on clarinet.

With a highly individualistic and spontaneous clarinet style that "defied classification", Russell began his career playing Dixieland jazz, but throughout his career incorporated elements of newer developments such as swing, bebop and free jazz. In the words of Philip Larkin, "No one familiar with the characteristic excitement of his solos, their lurid, snuffling, asthmatic voicelessness, notes leant on till they split, and sudden passionate intensities, could deny the uniqueness of his contribution to jazz."

Early life

Pee Wee Russell was born in Maplewood, Missouri, and grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma. As a child, he first studied violin, but "couldn't get along with it", then piano, disliking the scales and chord exercises, and then drums – including all the associated special effects. Then his father sneaked young Ellsworth into a dance at the local Elks Club to a four- or five-piece band led by New Orleans jazz clarinetist Alcide "Yellow" Nunez. Russell was amazed by Nunez's improvisations: "[He] played the melody, then got hot and played jazz. That was something. How did he know where he was or where he was going?" Pee Wee now decided that his primary instrument would be the clarinet, and the type of music he would play would be jazz. He approached the clarinettist in the pit band at the local theatre for lessons, and bought an Albert-system instrument. His teacher was named Charlie Merrill, and used to pop out for shots of corn whiskey during lessons.

The Dangerous Crew

The Dangerous Crew is a rap group formed by Oakland, California rapper Too Short. They were introduced to the masses in 1992 on the Shorty the Pimp album. The Dangerous Crew consisted of both live musicians and rappers: Shorty B (bass, guitar, drums), Pee-Wee (keyboards, drums, guitar), Ant Banks (keyboards, drum programming, mixing), Sean G (live drums), and rappers Too Short, Goldy, FM Blue, Dangerous Dame, Rappin' Ron, Ant Diddley Dog, Spice 1 and Father Dom. The Dangerous Crew also had an R&B group known as About Face, who appeared on a few of the later releases by Too Short.

Although the Dangerous Crew had disbanded by 1996, many members went on to have successful solo careers. Too Short continues to release album after album, Ant Banks has gone on to produce on gold and platinum albums for many successful artists such as E-40, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and even still with Too Short, while also producing two sound T.W.D.Y. albums (Derty Werk and Lead the Way). Shorty B has played guitar on many gold and platinum albums by artists such as 2Pac, TLC, Brandy Norwood, T.I. and others.